The U.S. Army was founded on June 14, 1775, to formally organize American resistance against Great Britain.
The U.S. Army is America’s oldest, national military institution and celebrates its birthday every June 14.
The Founding of the U.S. Army
April 19, 1775: The American Revolution Begins at Lexington and Concord
The U.S. Army is the spiritual successor of the Continental Army, which was established shortly after the beginning of the American Revolutionary War. Historians generally agree that the American Revolution was sparked by excessive taxation, a lack of representation in British Parliament, and the increasing presence of British troops in the American colonies.
Combined, these actions encouraged American rebels to stockpile weapons at a feverish pace. Great Britain took notice, and on April 18, 1775, British forces marched on Concord, Massachusetts to secure a known weapons cache gathered by American rebels.
The next day, American militiamen confronted the British troops in Lexington. The resulting standoff spiraled out of control, leading one side — the instigator is lost to history — to fire on the other, sparking the first battles of the American Revolutionary War.
June 14, 1775: The Second Continental Congress Establishes the Continental Army
For the American colonies, militiamen of mixed backgrounds fought the first battles of the war. Despite initial success, the Second Continental Congress determined that a regulated, professional army was needed to combat the British.
Nearly a month after the first skirmishes at Lexington and Concord, the Continental Army was formed. Two days later, future President George Washington was selected by Congressional Leader John Adams to be its highest-ranking officer.
Washington led a long, bloody campaign against British forces using a mix of conventional and asymmetric tactics, often while undersupplied and with waning morale. Ultimately, this strategy of attrition prevailed, and the British, unable to sustain an unpopular war across the Atlantic, admitted defeat.
Legacy of the Continental Army
The early years of the United States saw a legislature that was forced to balance fears of a standing army with existential threats from both Europe and elsewhere on North American continent.
Congress initially disbanded the vast majority of the Continental Army shortly after the Treaty of Paris formally ended the Revolution. However, growing resistance to American expansion and fears of a renewed conflict with Britain or other European powers encouraged Congress to reevaluate its decision. As sucj, the U.S. Army has continued to serve as America’s chief ground force ever since.
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Author: Christian Southards
Coming from a family with a proud military background and wanting to contribute his writing skills to a worthy cause, Christian began writing for the California American Legion in August of 2020. His father is a 25-year Army Veteran and his grandfather served in the Navy during Vietnam.
